The strategic

The update of the social development sector strategy comes at a time of extreme challenges. There are Israeli plans to annex large parts of the West Bank as part of the U.S. “Deal of the Century,” as well as the COVID-19 pandemic and its social and economic impacts on the Palestinian economy and society. Despite the negative consequences of these challenges, including rising unemployment and poverty rates, and a decline in local income, the political leadership and government have managed to gather political support for the rights of our people and placed the interests of citizens first in the fight against COVID-19.

The Ministry of Social Development plays an important role in addressing the social impacts of the pandemic as a leader in the social protection sector and as a main service provider. The Ministry’s vision is based on the principle that supporting poor and marginalized groups is key to strengthening citizens' resilience and maintaining social and political stability in Palestine. At the same time, the Ministry believes in the need to restructure aid and social services programs and expand the economic empowerment gateway within a legal framework that focuses on social development policies and fair economic policies that benefit the poor and marginalized, ensuring a dignified and sustainable life for vulnerable groups.

The Ministry of Social Development, recognizing the needs of the poor and marginalized, believes that meeting these needs can only be achieved through active partners in the social sector and the beneficiaries themselves. In this regard, the Ministry seeks to enhance the tools needed for engaging partners in the development process, building national information systems, transfer systems, and developing concepts related to poverty and marginalization. This led to the change in the Ministry’s name from the Ministry of Social Affairs to the Ministry of Social Development, and from material poverty to multidimensional poverty, beginning the process of structural and programmatic transformation aimed at moving the poor and marginalized from a phase of need to production.

The Ministry of Social Development is aware of the complexity and difficulty of the current phase due to the political blockade, politicization of aid, and limited resources and external funding. It has quickly sought to open new local and international funding avenues through the social responsibility fund and by including new, non-traditional donors in its list of supporters.

Social Development Sector Strategy

In this strategy for 2021-2023, we present our approach for the next three years based on our experience in implementing the 2017-2019 strategy, a reading of the current situation, future prospects, and the lessons learned from the pandemic.

We extend our sincere thanks to all who contributed to the process of updating the strategy, starting from the national team for preparing the strategy and the partners who provided suggestions and feedback in the workshops organized for the update, as well as all levels of responsibility in the Ministry who participated in this effort, along with the Ministry’s team at all stages of the strategy update.

To visit the link to the Sectoral Strategy Guide, please visit the following link.